Gee I had no idea that Conservatives were such a minority. GIVE ME A BREAK!

Everyone has a degree of conservative values and everyone has Liberal
values. So enough of this war on Conservatives and Liberals. In this day and age
it is the radical Fascism of Conservatives that scares people. I don't need
bearded people with guns, bandanas and camouflage waving a book telling me what
religion is correct. This is not the Middle East and the 40's area of
GWBush is finished as well. It is OK to have your own values just don't
hurt other people.

As long as the art is focused on conservative themes, holds its members to moral
standards, and avoids propogandish representations of the other side - I think
that is great. I think every aspect of American culture should be represented,
and often the conservative view point is over shadowed by sensationalized forms
of entertainment that even makes the most progressive blush.

But too
often it moves to topics and representations that extend too far. Just as was
the case of some art that tried to depict the carnage of the wars of the
previous administration - which were inappropriate and were more propaganda than
art - likewise the same type of art has been part of the conservative side.
We had a young missionary in our area who father is a prominent conservative
artist - one whose work at times is quite uplifting and nice - but who obviously
had a deep seeded dislike of the current president. As people inside and
outside the church grew to know of this relationship, it became clear that the
unfairly attached political art was impacting this elders ability to convey the
message he was here to give.

Art should be cherished for the
richness it brings to our lives and never used for political purposes. This
poem mixes the ideas that resonate with both sides and makes me wonder why we
can't always do the same in all of our discourse.

Art is great. It's a great way to communicate. Political art is called
"Propaganda". Socialists, Communists and Nazis were great at it back
in the 1930's-40's. Some of that propaganda art is still famous
today. Google it. Great graphics. But the message was mis-guided (IMO).

Every regime does it... so I'm not going to complain. It
wouldn't change anything to complain anyway.

Utah has produced the most hilarious right-wing propaganda now on sale as
serious "art" in the malls of Utah Valley ... I suppose political
cartooning is an art form, but let's not mistake it for Michelangelo, shall
we?

I think private people expressing themselves through art and selling it in the
mall (like in Orem) is just "art" and personal expression.

When the President ASKS people to create art to support his agenda, and the
government even funds that political message art, and even distributes it...
it's "Propaganda".

=====

We were good at
propaganda too in the 1930's and 40's too (Uncle Sam posters, Rosy the
Riveter, etc). I'm not saying it's all bad. You just need to be
able to see it for what it is, and not let the partisan blinders kick in.
It's hard... that type of art is intended to play on those partisan
buttons. They know how to push them (often so subtly you don't even
notice it).

"Utah has produced the most hilarious right-wing propaganda now on sale as
serious "art" in the malls of Utah Valley ...but let's not mistake
it for Michelangelo, shall we?"

and thank you omm propaganda information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread widely to help or
harm a person, group, movement, institution, nation, etc.

Since
conveying ones personal feelings, beliefs or interest makes propaganda art is no
longer valid, then we must discount as propaganda such artists as Michelangello,
Botticelli, Perugino, Roselli, Norman Rockwell, Salvador Dali, Goya and many
others.

Just because you dislike the theme of the artist does not
equate to the quality or skill of an artist. Because the artist sells his wares
in an orem mall, you discount his skill. Yet you make no analysis of his
technique or skills. This makes you bigoted based on politics not on the art
itself. Does this mean Arnold Friberg's Prayer at Valley Forge is not art
because it is sold on the internet?

Interesting to see all these liberal hacks ascribing anything conservative as
propaganda and only liberal depictions of life are "true art." I noticed
the author trotted out a number of progressive icons to defend the liberal
bastions of the arts. I for one would love to see more entertainment come from a
more conservative core and it's not propaganda because it truly depicts
what the "silent majority" lives day in and day out. Looking at
the Open Minded Mormon's definition of propaganda, it seems an apt
description of liberal media these days and his description of politically
biased, in-your-face agenda fits mostly what the MSM has become. Just look at
the lack of coverage of significant events such as Benghazi, IRS scandals, Fast
and Furious, NSA spying, etc. until they become too obvious to ignore. Then they
only get superficial treatment. All the while, the only real coverage can be had
on....you guessed it- FOXNEWS!

Hey, it's a business plan, plain and simple. As soon as I saw the word
"credentialing," that sealed it. The "foundation" or
"association" for this cointelpro project is going to need a leader, and
a leader needs a salary, and staff, and offices. And there will be donors who
support the social aims of the project.

The founders have sniffed out
an organizational niche that hasn't been filled yet, and are going to cash
in, just like other organizations in other niches, defending the unborn,
defending traditional marriage, defending free enterprise, or other political
hot points. Yes, there are people who passionately support certain causes, but
there are also people who make very, very nice livings pandering to them. By
their Form 990s shall ye know them.

@ Happy Valley Heretic, I did not see the "art" at the mall, but
I've seen plenty of other vile stuff that belittles our President, and thus
our nation. The perpetrators have the freedom to express themselves, but they
shouldn't be considered artists. Shame on the mall for effectively
engaging in political activity.

Create art that expresses the good, the true, and the beautiful, and a
conservative culture, according to the modern meaning of the phrase, will
follow. No overt political content is necessary.

Modern art is
largely (not entirely, but largely) a function of fad. It is decadent, in the
Jacques Barzun sense. We have run out of new things to say, because God is
dead, and there is no objective standard by which to prefer a few random
scribbles on a page to a Titian. So we celebrate randomness, because it's
easy to be originally random, and it reflects perfectly the nihilist mindset
that is the prevailing wisdom of postmodernism.

You cannot think
too hard about really great art, without quickly coming to some very
conservative conclusions about the world and human nature. Create great art,
and the culture will follow.

Shame on the mall for effectively engaging in political activity. Shame on the
mall for not performing political censorship based on my political leanings.
Shame on the mall for not being a pillar of liberal thought as understood by a
small circle, demanding liberal ideology.

The artist you question has
done what few artists can. He has moved you to evaluate his art, you have been
emotionally moved one way or the other. You are drawn to evaluate his message.

But in your disdain you never look to his artistic ability. You
never evaluate the strokes of his brush. Michelangello was not just a great
artist because of his brush strokes, it was because when you see his works you
see his thoughts and beliefs. A true artist gives you thoughts and emotions.

jsfCenterville, UTShame on the mall for effectively engaging in
political activity. Shame on the mall for not performing political censorship
based on my political leanings. Shame on the mall for not being a pillar of
liberal thought as understood by a small circle, demanding liberal ideology.

The artist you question has done what few artists can. He has moved you
to evaluate his art, you have been emotionally moved one way or the other. You
are drawn to evaluate his message.

But in your disdain you never
look to his artistic ability. You never evaluate the strokes of his brush.
Michelangello was not just a great artist because of his brush strokes, it was
because when you see his works you see his thoughts and beliefs. A true artist
gives you thoughts and emotions.

2:18 p.m. Aug. 8, 2014

========

Is this more of the pushing political views like walking around the same mall sporting an AR-15 assault rifle?

"Because the artist sells his wares in an orem mall, you discount his skill.
"

Umm... no. No one said anything about not having skill....
but it is the intent that many object to. Art with the intent to breed hatred,
resentment, feelings of superiority over others... that is what I don't
approve of. Matters not how much talent some one has - but rather the message
they are trying to tell through their art. If that message is one of derision
or feelings of contempt, if it does not uplift the spirit... I have no use for
it no matter the skill of the artist.

I have a music library of tens
of thousands of songs that I have collected over a period of time far longer
than I care to mention... but have recently been purging it of music that have a
positive overtone. Many of these songs I really liked.... but as a whole, I
don't miss them. What we put in our heads - whether via music, visual
arts, or literary - impacts who we are. Garbage in, garbage out. Hate in....
that hate becomes part of who we are.